TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Telly C. Whitfield, Ph.D., Assistant City Manager
FROM: Randy Hume. Transit Director
DATE: May 23, 2022
RE:
Title
Approval of Grant Subrecipient Agreements with Mid-Carolina Council of Governments and Hoke County for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 Funding
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 4: Desirable Place to Live, Work and Recreate
Objective 4.1: To develop and maintain public transportation investments with high quality transit and airport services
Executive Summary:
On October 11, 2021 City Council adopted Special Revenue Fund Project Ordinance 2022-7 to appropriate FTA Grant NC-2021-054-00 for Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Programs. That grant provided funding to be passed through to Mid-Carolina Council of Governments (MCCOG) for Cumberland County’s Community Transportation Program ($200,000), and to Hoke County for the construction of bus stops and installation of bus shelters ($81,400) as grant subrecipients to the City.
The City as the primary grant recipient is required to ensure subrecipients also comply with applicable FTA grant requirements for Section 5310 funding. The City receives $15,000 of the FTA funds for administration and oversight of the grant. The attached subrecipient agreements establish the relationship between the City and these two entities as well as set forth the requirements that must be met for reimbursement from these grants.
Council is requested to approve the agreements and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract documents.
Background:
The City is the designated recipient for FTA funds apportioned to the Fayetteville Urbanized Area. In addition to Cumberland County, the urbanized area also includes portions of Hoke, Harnett and Robeson Counties. Since 2012, the FTA has apportioned funds to our area under FTA’s Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program. Prior to 2012, Section 5310 funding was allocated solely to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). In accordance with our approved Program Management Plan, each year the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) selects projects to be recommended for funding using a competitive selection process. Once FAMPO selects the projects, the City prepares and submits the Section 5310 application to FTA. Projects must be over and above ADA requirements, therefore the City’s FASTTRAC! service is not eligible to use these funds.
City Council adopted SRO 2022-7 in October 2021 to appropriate FTA Grant NC-2021-054-00. The grant provides funding for projects selected by FAMPO for MCCOG/Cumberland County’s Community Transportation Program ($200,000) and to Hoke County for the construction of bus stops and installation of shelters ($81,400).
The subrecipient agreement obligates MCCOG, Cumberland County Community Transportation Program and Hoke County to meet and maintain the same FTA grant requirements as the City and FAST. The City as grantee must provide oversight to ensure compliance by the subrecipient. FAST has developed procedures and checklists to guide staff in documenting that oversight. The FTA grant provides 100% grant funding to reimburse the City for that oversight.
Any matching funds for the “pass through” grant funds are provided from subrecipient sources, not City funds. The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) authorized grantees to claim 100% FTA funding for some Section 5310 projects. That is the reason the MCCOG/Cumberland project does not require additional local match.
Issues/Analysis:
The City is responsible for ensuring subrecipients comply with all FTA grant provisions. Transit has developed grant oversight procedures and a grant checklist that will be used to ensure that sub-recipients adhere to the FTA requirements.
Budget Impact:
The grant does not require any City matching funds. The City’s oversight costs are 100% reimbursable from FTA. Due to COVID related legislation the MCCOG/Cumberland County activities are also funded 100% by FTA. Hoke County will provide the 20% local match for its bus stop project.
Options:
Approve the subrecipient agreements with Mid-Carolina Council of Governments and Hoke County and authorize the City Manager to execute any contract documents; or
Reject the agreements and provide direction to staff
Recommended Action:
Approve the subrecipient agreements with Mid-Carolina Council of Governments and Hoke County and authorize the City Manager to execute any contract documents.
Attachments:
Subrecipient Agreement 5310 - MCCOG- Cumberland
Subrecipient Agreement 5310 - Hoke County Bus Stops and Shelters